The invention relates to an arrangement comprising a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus, which apparatus comprises a deck and a loading mechanism having a holder for magnetic-tape cassettes, into which holder the cassettes can be inserted, and magnetic-tape cassettes having recesses in plane-parallel main walls and having in a side wall interconnecting the main walls access openings for the entry of a sound head and pressure rollers, a detection mechanism being provided in order to handle magnetic-tape cassette types with different tape-recording standards and housing configurations, which detection mechanism senses the cassette side wall having the access openings and comprises a sensing element which upon insertion of a cassette, depending on the cassette type, either moves past this cassette wall or engages a guide profile in order to be positioned before a sliding cover of this cassette type and move said cover so far that the access openings are exposed.
Such an arrangement comprising a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus and a magnetic-tape cassette which functionally cooperate with one another is known from German patent P 37 19 890.4. The loading mechanism of said arrangement is described in German Patent P 39 04 483.1. In said mechanism a cassette holder can be lowered vertically from an ejection plane into a playback plane. The cassette holder is adapted to handle analog magnetic-tape cassettes having two tape reels which when inside the apparatus are engaged by reel spindles of the deck through the two cassette main walls. The magnetic tape is moved in its longitudinal direction past a magnetic head which is pressed against the tape and which, like the pressure rollers, can be inserted into the cassette through access openings in the partly open side wall of the cassette. The access openings of the analog cassette are always open. Them is provided a coupling member which when a cassette is inserted by hand is engageable in the forward reel-spindle hole viewed in the direction of insertion. This coupling member pulls the magnetic-tape cassette further inward into the play position after starting of a loading motor.
A digital audio magnetic-tape cassette is known whose magnetic tape is scanned by means of a rotating magnetic head. The dimensions of this digital audio cassette differ from those of the analog audio cassettes to such an extent that an entirely different tape deck must be used.
Moreover, a digital audio magnetic-tape cassette has been proposed whose magnetic tape is scanned longitudinally. This digital longitudinally scanned magnetic-tape cassette has an appearance resembling the analog magnetic-tape cassette. It is envisaged to use this digital cassette in magnetic-tape-cassette apparatuses which can play both analog and digital cassettes in a tape deck constructed for both cassette types. The digital cassette differs from the analog cassette in that it can be played in only one direction. Therefore, the cassette has reel-spindle holes for the introduction of reel spindles in only one main wall. Moreover, it has a sliding cover which in its closed position covers the openings in the partly open side wall for the insertion of the magnetic head and the pressure rollers. Before the cassette is put into operation this sliding cover should be moved aside.
It is also known to insert such a digital magnetic-tape cassette into a holder compartment with its long side wall in the transverse direction. A detection mechanism comprising a sensing pin then detects the cassette type and moves aside the sliding cover of the digital cassette to expose the access openings.